Is stove top really necessary? Is instant really that bad? I’m trying to reduce my dishwashing time and would like to use instant instead. Thoughts?
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You can literally just pour hot water on oats soak them overnight or microwave them.
Fermented overnight oats - one mason jar w/lid, one spoon.
Or pour hot water on rolled oats in the morning and eat them as soon as they’ve cooled off enough to not burn your tongue.
I buy a big bag of organic oatmeal from Costco...just scoop and add microwave boiled water and fruit and I'm good to go!!
I buy that one too!! A better resealable bag & organic for like a dollar more. So worth it! I put some in a large mason jar & leave on my counter. Stash your mix-ins right next to it.
I prefer non mushy rolled oats. Cook without stirring for a flaky zero slime result!! Oats, boiling water, cover, wait ~5 mins, brown sugar or maple or both, plant milk, seeds fruit etc or none, yum.
Could not be easier. If money is burning a hole in your pocket, and the goal is to speed up breakfast, don't spend more on branded oats. Get a kettle instead. The Amazon basics all stainless steal 1 L is $25 and BIFL.
I'll be real with you, I eat rolled oats cold, with almond milk.
Same! Delicious.
Me as well! I started by having a cup and a half of rolled oats and putting a little bit of process cereal on top. I've now graduated and can just eat the oats on their own. I add barberries, ground flaxseed, psyllium fiber husk, sometimes some spices like cinnamon and cardamom. And now I add a a bit of raisins now that there's no cereal. I eat it must days. My body misses the oats when I don't.
Same here… I let them “soak” for a few minutes.
What’s your almond milk of preference? I’ve been buying Costco Kirkland brand and don’t love it
the only real issue with instant is you're not getting a guaranteed full grain like you are with steel-cut, where you have essentially the whole kernel simply sheared in two. and the tiny pieces do hit the bloodstream faster which can cause spikes. at least that's what my doc told me.
Is steel cut really better than rolled oats?
Quaker Oats doesn't want you to know that you can microwave regular oats just like "instant" oats. Just make sure you put barely enough water to cover the oats, I microwave 3 minutes for 80g, about 1.5 minutes for 40g. Then add some water or milk to get the consistency you want, add a little brown sugar or whatever and you're off.
Can confirm- my husband does this daily.
Another lil thing I do that’s similar - I prep two servings of overnight oats (with PB, cinnamon, maple syrup, whatever), and then at the office scoop out each portion into a bowl, add some water, and microwave / stir to get easy warm oats at work Then I can keep the second serving in the office fridge for the next morning
To be clear, microwave cooking times vary by the type of rolled oats. (I'm not sure it's practical to microwave steel cut oats.) A half cup (40 g) of "old fashioned" oats (whole oat groats steamed and rolled flat) takes about 3 minutes. "Quick" oats (thickly sliced steamed and rolled oat groats) take about 2 minutes. "Instant" oats (very thinly sliced steamed and rolled groats) take about 75 seconds.
You can microwave oat groats. I cook non-instant rice that way too.
Groats would take awhile
Instant isn’t as nutrient dense. Use old fashioned and soak overnight, then microwave in the morning Or just make one big batch for the week with old fashioned or steel cut and reheat as needed
Oatmeal is one of the absolute best foods for you. Don't get the instant, it's not whole grain. Steel cut or rolled oats (whole grain) are great.
Learn to do overnight oats. It's a game changer. Super easy, no cooking, way less cleanup.
Instant oats, like all oats, are whole grain. They have all three parts of the oat: the bran, the germ, and the endosperm. Instant oats are just shredded into small pieces so they’ll cook a bit faster but it also makes the texture mushier. If you buy a canister of plain rolled oats or a canister of plain instant oats there isn’t really much of a difference except maybe that you’re likely buying lower quality oats. But a packet of instant oatmeal is a different story because even though its still a whole grain it’s got all kinds of crap in it so it’s not all that different from a box of Cheerios.
Instant oatmeal is still a whole grain. The oats are just cut smaller, steamed and rolled thin.
Just eat the microwave oatmeal. It’s ok to take some shortcuts that make your life easier and help you meet your goals. If you are worried about missing out on some fiber, throw on some nuts, berries, or dried fruit, or just eat a higher fiber meal or snack later in the day.
Put 1/4 cup dry rolled oats in a blender, pulse it a few times to slice it down a little until it starts to sorta look like instant but not too powdery. Put in a bowl with 1/2 cup milk. Microwave for 2 mins. Stir and add a little more milk if its too pasty while mixing.
I use steel cut and you can microwave that or let it sit overnight. Not much of a cleanup problem.
The only caveat when microwaving steel cut oats is make sure you’re using a deep bowl because they will boil over and that’s an annoying mess to deal with first thing in the morning
Mix together at night to do overnight oats. Then in the morning you can microwave or eat cold.
I just put hot water from the kettle onto the oats- it works for old fashioned and plain oats. Old fashioned you can just put a little lid over the bowl for a few mins.
This is all I do too. Super simple and doesn’t add any extra dishes plus I can make tea at the same time if I’m in the mood.
Try it out if you like, and do what works for you! Personally I recommend if using the instant packets to look for the ones with less sugar. Some of the instant packets are overly sweet
I mostly get plain ones or minimal ingredients.
I just microwave old fashioned oats in water for about a minute.
I wonder if dr. Greger has commented on this. I always buy instant as it cooks in 3 minutes on stove top n now im wondering if im not maximizing the nutrients by choosing instant. dr. Greger talks about how there is a compound that is unique only to oats and not found in any other foods, which is the reason I eat it multiple times a week. But you pose a great question. I might email his website ppl
You can microwave instant oats in about a minute. No pan to wash is the best part
Dr Greger eats whole oat groats (like steel cut oats, but uncut :). I’d never heard or seen them in this whole form before I started following him. I buy them in bulk from a food coop for around $2 per pound. I cook them in an instant pot. I pressure cook them for three minutes. It takes 10 minutes total but the great thing is that you set it up and can walk away to do other things, unlike stovetop and microwave.
He addresses it in one of his books, basically saying instant oatmeal is trash.
Try overnight oats. Game changer. Takes 5 minutes to mix everything at night and in the morning I just adjust the milk and honey to make it how I like it more watery and I eat
I soak oats, raisins and walnuts overnight in water with added water kefir to start fermentation. Next morning I add mango soy kefir, cinnamon, chia, flaxseed, blueberries and some dried orange peels and the party begin.
I used to make rolled oats in the microwave. Full quality. I forget my water ratio but I did cover it. Add apple or banana for fun.
Oats 25g Water 200ml Tall sided pyrex bowl Microwave for 3 minutes Stir Microwave for 3 more minutes Stir in 100ml milk Microwave 1 minute Add pinch of salt
Just put steel cut oats or rolled oats in a small saucepan. Add water to cover and bring to a boil. Boil 1 min then cover and turn off heat. Let sit one hour. Use a paper bowl to eat from. EASY !
What do you all think of wheat germ ? My mom mixed into everything, but I don’t see it anymore..
I used to just microwave oats because I thought it was faster and easier but actually stovetop ended up up being faster for me because the oats cook faster, and with the microwave you have to keep stopping it to open and stir the oats so it doesn’t explode out of the bowl (this has happened to me many times lol). I was using rolled oats idk if instant does the same thing
I use an extra large bowl to microwave a half cup (40 g) serving of old fashioned rolled oats to completely eliminate the risk of them boiling over. Fast, convenient, and no mess!
I do mostly overnight oats now. Chuck oats, milk of choice, fruit and whatever else you want in a glass container. Stir. Walk away. Eat it in the morning or whenever you want. You can nuke it but I just eat it cold. I've been loving peaches and "cream" overnight oats lately. Also chocolate raspberry or pumpkin pie overnight oats.
I use normal oats, put it in my bowl then use my kettle and pour boiling water over it, let it absorb it (around 1 minute). literally takes 3 min and only one bowl
I eat Purely Elizabeth instant oatmeal and Oats Overnight brand oatmeal. I use sweetened almond milk for both. Im the go a lot so having instant and ready to go overnight oats is a lot easier. I also have other quick and grab options too.
I hated oatmeal until I discovered overnight oats. Turns out I just like them cold. I make six jars at a go.
Make 1 large pot of it for the week.
I make overnight oats. It's one cup rolled oats (stove top variety) to one cup water in a sealable bowl. Refrigerate over night. 2 to 3 minutes in microwave. Keeps for about three days in the fridge.
I make my rolled oats in the microwave. 1/3 cup of oats, enough water to cover it. Sometimes add some frozen fruit. 2 min at full power. Add plant-based milk + sweetener of choice & stir until it's the consistency I want.
Microwave. Bowl of rolled oats, soymilk to cover, ~90 seconds on high. Maybe add cocoa powder, raisins. Overnight soaking also a good alternative for next day's breakfast/lunch.
I do overnight Oats with One Degree sprouted oats. I use soy milk instead of water, I add blueberries, ground chia seeds, hemp seeds, a tsp of maca and some maple syrup. High Protein and oh so tasty!
I microwave my old fashioned oats every morning
I thought rolled oats were ok be to eat without cooking
I prefer old fashioned oats over the microwave packets because of the price difference. The convenience of the packet is just not worth the obscene amount more they cost (plus all the extra sugar and whatnot they add). I just microwave 1 part oatmeal 2 part water for a few minutes, then let it sit for a few minutes so it gets extra fluffy.
Honestly I’m uncomfortable with how they process oats. I eat only steel cut. I would eat raw muesli if I didn’t want to cook.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-instant-oatmeal-healthy
However you want to consume them is generally not bad.
Dr Esseylstein often eats its raw! like a horse!
I make 4 servings of steel cut oats at once, then refrigerate in one container. Reheat a serving in the microwave in the morning. Usually I add a splash of water when I reheat it, maybe 1 tablespoon. I used to make overnight steel cut oats but I found it annoying to pour an equal amount of oats and water into each Mason jar. The recipe i was following had you boil it for a few minutes before splitting up into jars, and it was so much work to try to get the same amount of oats in each jar. It drove me nuts.
I like steel cut oats that take a long time to cook, so my time/dishes saving trick is to cook several days worth in a big batch, store it in the fridge, and microwave one bowl of it each morning. (I cook it pot-in-pot in a pressure cooker, so the cooking dish is the storage dish. The first day, I put it in the pot the night before, set a delay start of 7 or so hours, cook time of 30+ minutes, and eat it hot the next morning. The rest goes in the fridge.)
Think of “instant” like white bread … the rolled oats have the healthier fiber (etc)
I microwave rolled oats for 2-3 min. Let sit for 15 and eat.
Overnight oats. Just mix and eat the next day. No cooking
You can cook old fashioned in the microwave. Use a big bowl that has a lip and it won't boil over. As long as you are only making one serving.
Sure, if your dishwashing time is more important than health to you - go for istant.
Big fan of overnight oats here!! Try it, super easy and they taste amazing
I microwave the seven grain oats that I buy from the Mennonite store. They come in a 3lbs plastic bag with a zip tie. lol. they are amazing I just have to cook them for 4minutes instead of 1
Like nutritionally? I’ve been told the individually packed instant oats are not great. I get the giant sack of oats, leave my measuring cup in the sack, and microwave my portions in whatever vessel I plan to eat them out of. Fair warning, they do overflow in the microwave so you have to either put them in an excessive bowl or watch them closely. Overnight oats are also an option. Whenever I buy something that comes in a glass jar I like the size of I keep it for my oats.
You can even just pour boiling water over regular rolled oats in a bowl, cover, and wait 10 minutes.
I don’t use instant because I can’t stand the texture. I use Bob’s Red Mill thick cut oats. 1/2 cup oats to 1 cup water, microwave 2 min, stir, then microwave another min. Let sit for a few min to thicken. It’s quick and easy. Sometimes I add cinnamon and real maple syrup. Brown sugar is a nice mix in as well.
I boil water in a tea kettle, pour it over oats in a bowl, stir, and put a saucer on top as a "lid." No microwave needed. It works for instant or quick, anything that has a cook time of 5 min or less.
I make a few servings in individual 8oz jars and refrigerate. My recipe is 1/4 c rolled oats, 1/2 c milk of your choice, 1 T chia seeds, sprinkle of cinnamon, 1 scoop protein powder. The next morning I empty it into a bowl, add a bit more milk, a tsp of psyllium and then microwave for 2min. It’s high protein and fiber.
Get a grain and ice maker (KitchenAid). It holds everything over night and adds water before cooking it in the morning. Super easy. It gets used daily, often twice daily. Oatmeal in the morning then rice for a meal. Comes with a tray so you can simultaneously steam some broccoli while the rice is made if you like.
I kept looking at “grain and ice maker,” trying to figure out why such a combo would exist, and if that was some shortlived 80s appliance…the penny finally dropped when I read the rest of the post.
You can microwave but also can do overnight oats (I love in the summer,.cold) or batch cook in instant pot or slow cooker to have for a few days.
Soaking oats makes them much easier to digest, and it reduces cooking time. You could microwave them in the same bowl you soak them in. Good luck!
I microwave old-fashioned oats all the time for breakfast.
I buy giant bags of whole oats for cheap. Put about 1/4 to 1/3 oats in a bowl and then cover with water to about 1/4 inch above the top of the oats. Nuke for 3 to 3.5 min but after 2.5 min stir and add plant milk to make it easier to stir. Finish in the microwave then add the other stuff and stir.
I cook my steel cut oatmeal in a steamer basket bowl the same way I cook brown rice, with a little bit more water
I use whole oat groats that I cook in an instant pot for three minutes. It can take around 10 minutes with warm up and pressure release. If I’m in a hurry I boil the water first in an electric kettle before adding it to the preheating instant pot.
I make quick oats in the microwave all the time.
Oatmeal is for fattening up horses. I ate Oatmeal for years.
Good on ya, ya fat horse.
I do quick oats (in the cylinder tub) in the microwave to 2 minutes. Completely fine for me!
I use the "quick cooking" oatmeal, pulse it in my Ninja for a few seconds and pour in boiling water to cook them. They come out with a bit of a lovely cream of wheat vibe but still whole grain.
I use an 1/8 of a cup and half a cup of soy milk (plus chia seeds, cacao nibs, and I seed cycle, so either flax and pumpkin seeds, or sesame and sunflower seeds, and some frozen strawberries). I throw it all in a mason jar as soon as I get home from work and leave it in the fridge overnight. Easy breakfast and I think it’s got about 300 calories and 12g of protein (I aim for 80-90 grams a day). I eat it cold when I get to work. Oh, and it’s one serving of fruit (I try for 7 servings of fruits and vegetables a day) and 7g of fiber (very important to get enough fiber, as colon cancer is on the rise….you should try to get at least 25g a day). I watch my calories, and try to keep it less than 1600 a day, which is why I use so little oats. It’s got a lot of calories, and I eat anywhere from 4-6 small meals a day, so I have to keep the calories I get at each meal a bit low.
I would do oats in the microwave, but I don't want to disappoint the ghost of my Irish gran. And stovetop oats have a nicer texture and you can do the Flora butter and toast your spices a bit and it's just overall better.
I think the issue with some instant oats (like Quaker Oats) is the added sugars, for people trying to improve their health. I buy organic quick oats with no added sugars, I add just water and it takes about 3 minutes in the microwave.